OTTAWA – Gov. Gen. David Johnston will now be required to pay GST/HST on all purchases, whether personal or related to the official business of Rideau Hall.

According to Thursday’s budget, a special exemption in the Excise Tax Act is to be closed.

The office will still be able to recoup tax expenses related to official business, under the GST Federal Governmental Departments Remission Order. Though these submissions are subject to review, the office of the Governor General will recoup 100 per cent of tax expenditures related to official business.

It’s the same process all federal departments are required to follow in order torecoup tax expenses. Federal agencies are reimbursed sales tax, because taxexpenditures are not built into their individual budgets.

This new agreement follows measures last year that required the Governor General to pay income tax on his salary, just as other Canadian citizens do.

The Governor General has traditionally not been required to pay sales tax on personal purchases – but he customarily does.

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